ANTIFUNGAL DRUG RESISTANCE PATTERN AMONG BIOFILM PRODUCING STRAINS OF CANDIDA SPECIES ISOLATED FROM BLOODSTREAM INFECTIONS

Abstract

Background & objectives: The emergence of drug resistant Candida species has become an important cause of health care associated infections. Antimicrobial resistance is very high in biolm-producing Candida strains. This study was carried out with an aim to study species distribution of Candida isolates among candidemia patients, biolm formation as a virulence factor and their antifungal susceptibility pattern. A total ofMethods: 100 consecutive Candida isolates obtained from blood culture samples were included in the study. Identication of the isolates were done by conventional method and VITEK 2. The antifungal susceptibility were done by VITEK 2 and E test method. Biolm formation was detected using Congo red agar medium, Test tube method and Microtitre plate method. Of the total 100 Candida isolates evaluated, Candida albicansResults: (n=34 isolates) was most common followed by C. tropicalis (n=20 isolates). A larger number of Candida spp. (71%) produced biolm. Biolm production by NAC was signicantly more frequent (75.75%) than that by C. albicans (61.76%). Antifungal resistance rates for Fluconazole (30.98%), Amphotericin B (15.49%) and Flucytosine (11.26%) were higher among the biolm producing strains. All the strains of C. krusei were resistant to Fluconazole and Flucytosine and all strains of C. auris were found resistant to uconazole. Interpretation & Conclusion: Speciation of Candida becomes important as the prevalence of NAC is increasing. Biolm formation exhibits increased resistance to commonly available antifungal therapies. These data has become necessary to reduce the net effect of the increasing severity of Candida infections, drug resistance, and economic burden.